Endurance squad for Arab Games

Bahrain Gulf Daily News
12 November

BAHRAIN's Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa named members of the national endurance horseride team who will take part in the endurance race of the Arab Games scheduled for November 19 in Al Giza, Egypt.

Shaikh Nasser will lead the seven-member team which also includes Shaikh Salman bin Saqer Al Khalifa, Yousif Taher, Ghazi Al Dossary, Ahmed Abdulla, Manal Fakhrawi and Raed Mahmood.

Shaikh Nasser said the selection was based on the performance and results of the riders in recent championships. The team will head for the Egyptian capital on Thursday to prepare for the race.

The Breef chief stressed on the importance of taking part in such regional competitions, adding that he is keen to take a place on the podium in the upcoming event.

UAE's Naser Marzouki Wins Sultan's Cup

Bernana.Com
SETIU, Nov 11 (Bernama) -- United Arab Emirates' Naser Marzouqi edged France's Jack Begaud to win the Sultan's Cup Terengganu Endurance Race 2007 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) here Sunday.

Naser astride "Hafiza Du Mas" finished the 160km race in 10 hours 31 minutes and 50 seconds while Begaud was a close 10:33:27 behind.

Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, who also took part, finished in 23rd place after posting a time of 14:20:26. Tuanku Mizan, the patron of the championship, rode "Harmere Cairo".

Maria Vitoria Liberal Lins of Brazil was third in a time of 10:39:07.

A total of 41 riders from Brazil, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Australia and Malaysia took part in the championship, which is part of the preparations for the World Endurance Race (FEI 2008) to be held at the same venue next year.

Terengganu Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh flagged off the riders at 4.30pm at the TIEP yesterday. His Majesty is scheduled to present the prizes to the winners at Dewan Besar, Wisma Darul Iman tonight.

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40% Completion Rate Achieved

International riders have achieved the 40% completion rate deamed by the FEI as the final test for the Malaysian endurance committee to host the 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship. The Terengganu International Endurance Park will be the venue for the event, currently scheduled for Novemeber 2008.

In addition to achieving the agreed upon goal, 38 competitors who started the 2007 Sultan's Cup Endurance Challenge will achieve an completion rate well beyond that which is normal at FEI events around the globe.

This achievement, the ability to bring a competitive field to the tropics, has shown the skills of the ride organizers, the international team of FEI officials and veterinarians, the riders and, beyond all -- the horses!!!


Full Endurance.Net Coverage

Official Sultan's Cup Site

Official 2008 FEI World Endurance Championship

Book your tickets now!! The invitation is to come early and stay late!! and bring your horse!

MAS: 6 Riders Vie for Finish

Jack Begaud, Naser Marzouqi, Maria Vitoria Liberal Lins, and Khalid al Shafar have closed within 4 minutes of each other as they prepare for the final 10.1 km of the 160km race. Marzouqi and Lins each brought their pace to 18+km/hr for the 6th leg to close the gap. The cool morning air is helping to encourage the riders to move forward with plenty of horse left.

Daylight will great the riders and horses as the pull this final leg along the sea shore of the South China Sea. American riders John Crandell and Kathy Brunges are following closely on strong horses - but must overcome a 15 minute lead to achieve first to finish.

7 have been eliminated at this point of the race, 4 from the list of invited foreign riders.

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Begaud first to Gate 5 at Sultan's Cup

Jack Begaud, the current #1 FEI endurance rider globally, has just arrived first at Gate 5. He was followed closely into the vet gate by Che Ahmad Yusri Muhamad of MAS - entering Gate 4 as the last rider on that phase of the course.

It is 04:51am and beginning to feeling tiredness of 12+ hours of competition!

jt

Video: http://www.malaysia-wec.com/sc_video.html

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Hujan Bukan Halangan Buat Yang Di Pertuan Agong

Oleh: Farezul Fadzal

Yang DiPertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin meredah hujan ketika menyertai Kejohanan Kuda Lasak Piala Sultan Terengganu 2007 di Lembah Bidong. - Gambar ZULKIPLI PUTRA.

Hujan lebat selepas beberapa minit kejohanan Kuda Lasak Piala Sultan Terengganu 2007 berlangsung sedikit pun tidak mematahkan semangat Yang Di Pertuan Agong Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin meneruskan cabaran sejauh 160km.

Tidak ketinggalan Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah berkenan hadir sambil memberi semangat kepada Sultan Mizan.

Semangat seperti itu menjadikan acara berkenaan bertambah sengit terutamanya apabila acara tersebut turut disertai oleh peserta terbaik dunia, Maria Alvarez Ponton dari Sepanyol.

Dalam pada itu, Menteri Besar, Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh berkata Terengganu Endurance International Park (TEIP) merupakan antara lokasi sukan kuda lasak terbaik di dunia pada ketika ini.

Kata-kata tersebut turut sama diakui oleh peserta luar negara yang menyertai pada Kejohanan Kuda Lasak Piala Sultan Mizan 2007 di Lembah Bidong.

“Kejohanan kali ini menjadi penanda aras kepada kemampuan Terengganu dalam menganjurkan kejohanan yang sama pada peringkat dunia pada 2008 nanti,” kata Dato’ Seri Idris kepada media ketika ditemui pada pada upacara pelepasan peserta pada Kejohanan Kuda Lasak Piala Sultan Terengganu 2007 di Lembah Bidong, hari ini (10 November).

Upacara pelepasan acara berkenaan turut disempurnakan oleh Dato’ Seri Idris Jusoh.

Hadir sama menyaksikan upacara berkenaan, Yang Amat Mulia Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja, Ahli Majlis Penasihat Pemangku Raja; Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Kebudayaan, Belia, Sukan dan Badan NGO Negeri, Dato’ Din Adam; Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pertanian dan Pembangunan Wilayah, Datuk Mohd Jidin Shafee dan Pengerusi Jawatankuasa Pembangunan Infrastruktur, Kemudahan Awam dan Komunikasi Negeri, Dato’ Wan Hisham Dato’ Wan Salleh.

Acara yang disertai 38 peserta memulakan cabaran dengan pelbagai rintangan antaranya hujan lebat dan meneruskan acara sehingga lewat pagi bagi menamatkan acara sejauh 160km dan para peserta dijangka menamatkan acara berkenaan pada jam 11.30 pagi esok.

Unit Komunikasi Negeri.

Dato' Seri Idris mengibar bendera ketika membuat pelepasan peserta acara 160km pada kejohanan berkenaan.

Peserta memulakan cabaran selepas upacara pelepasan.

Yang Di-Pertuan Agong Leads Sultan Terengganu Cup Endurance Race

SETIU, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin will lead the Malaysian challenge in the Sultan's Cup Terengganu Endurance Race 2007 at the Terengganu International Endurance Park (TIEP) here today.

Tuanku Mizan, the patron of the championship, is participating in the 160km race. The No. 101 rider will ride his horse "Harmere Cairo".

The King is expected to come up against stiff competition from world top riders, including world No. 1 Jack Begaud of France, world No. 2 Maria Mercedes Alvarez Ponton of Spain, John Osborne Crandell III of the United States and Mercedes Tapia of Argentina.

The 17 other riders are from Brazil, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, South Africa and Australia.

The Malaysian challenge will also come from Datuk Abdullah Taib, Datuk Awang Kamaruddin, Ahmad Azura and Azman Mat Ripin from the Darul Iman Endurance Team.

The endurance challenge was flagged off by Menteri Besar Datuk Idris Jusoh at 4.30pm today.

Even the downpour 10 minutes later failed to dampen the spirits of the participants.

The event is part of the preparations for the World Endurance Race (FEI 2008) to be held at TIEP next year.

Tuanku Mizan will present the prizes to the winners at Dewan Besar, Wisma Darul Iman, tomorrow night.

-- BERNAMA

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